Thread control for loom thread cutters



Dec. 31, 1929. F. yMARsrJr-:rl

THREAD cQNTRoL FOR Loom THREAD currents Filed sept. 12, 1928- jfl/mmf" fa/ /Yal/saf/f Patented Dec. 31, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRED MARSDEN, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CROMPTON KNOWLES LOOM WORKS, OF VIORCESTER, ETASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS THREAD CGNTROL FGR Application filed September This invention relates to improvements in means for controlling weft threads which are severed by thread cutters of weft replenishing looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide means for insuring a free releasing of the thread so that the same may be drawn out of the shuttle boX at the time of transfer.

n the type of thread cutter set forth in pattent to Chevrette N o. 1,662,235 the thread cutting and clamping unit is raised on its cutting stroke to a position above the shuttle during the time that transfer is taking place. Shuttles of automatic looms are ordinarily provided with a shallow longitudinal groove in their front walls leading from the delivery eye to the opposite end of the shuttle. The. purpose of this groove is to provide a slight space between the binder and the shuttle for the thread so that the latter will not be pinched. or broken and also so that thethread extending from the eye toward the selvage may be withdrawn either enti-rely or partly'at the time of transfer by the downward movementof the outgoing bobbin.

rlhe cutter set forth inthe aforesaid patent is located near the mouth of the shuttle box and at the time of its operation engages and lifts the thread from the race plate or bon bottom, but in doing so in certain instances I find that the thread is lifted sutliciently high to be drawn out of the groove in the shuttle and caught between the binder and the shuttle. The result is that at the time of transfer that part of the thread whichextends between the thread cutter and the point of pinching between the shuttle and binder is bro-ken and on the pick following transfer this broken end will be drawn into theshed by the replenished shuttle.

It is an important object of my present invention to provide means to engage that portion of the filling which lies between the thread cutterl and the shuttle binder to hold said portion of the filling down while the thread'y cutter is being raised. Such adevice will in certain instances slightly increase the length of the path through which. the filling i extendsbut the filling is free te be drawn off Looivi THREAD oUTTERs 12, 1928. Serial No. 305,443.

the depleted shuttle without breaking as the cutter' is raised. l

It is a further object of my present invention to provide a connection between the usual transferrer arm and the thread to hold the latter' down as the thread cutter is raised, the operation of the cutter and transferrer being caused simultaneously by the forward movement of the lay on a transferring beat of the loom. The transferrer arm is moving downwardly while the cutter is being raised and may use of the downwardmotion of the transfer-rer arm through the intermediary of an attachment on the. transferrerl arm to engage the thread and hold it either depressed'v or' against undue raising thereof;

It is a further object of my invention to provide mea-ns for holding the thread prop'- erly aligned with respect to they slot in the shuttle as the cutter is raised.

With these and' other objects in view' which will appeary as the description proceeds, my invention residesy in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which show one embodiment of my invention,

' Fig. l is an end elevation of a magazine having my invention applied thereto as viewed from the interior of a loom,

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line'2 of'Fig. l, looking rearwardly, and

Fig. 3' is a top plan view looking in the di'- rect'ion of arrow 3., Fig. 2.

` Referring tothe drawings, I have shown a lay l0, having a recess 1l therein and a box back 12. Said lay carries a dagger l?) and'also a shuttle binder 14 which forms with the box back a shuttle box for the reception of shuttle S. The lay moves back and forth in the loom in the usual manner and the shuttle is picked by a mechanism not shown so as to be first on one side of the loom and then on the other as the lay beats up to the forward position shown in Fig. l.

A weft replenishing mechanism or magazine M is supported by t-he loomside, not shown, and includes a stand 2O in which is pivoted as at 2l a tra-nsferrer arm 22'., The latter has pivotedA thereto as at 23 the" transferrer latch 24, which may be raised to the position shown in Fig. 1 by means of a lifting rod 25. The latter is connected to a lever 26 pivoted to the magazine frame by means of a stud 27 secured to said frame. A controlling lever 28 cooperates with the lever 26 and is secured to the top shaft 29 of the magazine.

The top shaft extends rearwardly and has attached thereto a lever 30 connected to the upper end of a resetting rod 31. The latter has connection as at 32 with a shuttle feeler 33 pivoted to the magazine as at 34. The shuttle feeler has a sheet metal element 35 which is heid to the frame 33 by a bolt 36.

To the forward end of the shuttle feeler 35 pivote/d a movable cutter blade 37, which is pivoted about a screw 38 fastened to the shuttle fceler Said cutter has a rearwardly extending blade 39 which cooperates with one side of the shuttle feeler 35 sharpened to form a cutting edge. The cutter has an upwardly extending arm 40 which is pivotally connected as at 41 to the lower end of an actuator rod 42. The latter rod is adjustably connected to a fixed pivot 43.

In the operation of the structure thus far described the lay 10 will move back and forth, withA the latch 24 down and with the shuttle feeler in raised position under normal conditions. When a transfer is to take place to replenish the depleted supply of weft in the shuttle S the top shaft 29 will be rocked by mechanism not shown but substantially similar to that set f-orth in patent to Ryon 1,030,7 48. Rocking of this shaft will depress the resetting rod 3l so that the shuttle feeler will move downwardly, and at the same time the rod 25 will be raised so as to place the latch 24 in the path of the advancing dagger or bunter 13.

Upon 'depression of the shuttle feeler the red 42 lwill act to open the cutter so that there will be a rearwardly extending notch, the lower portion of which is defined by blade 39 and the upper portion of which is defined by the cutting part of the shuttle feeler. As the lay advances the bunter will engage the latch to move the transferrer arm downwardly toward the shuttle S and at substantially the same time the box back 12 will engage the rear under porti-on of the shuttle feeler and raise the latter so that it will pass through the position shown in full lines on Fig. 1.

The matter thus far described of itself forms no part of my present invention and is substantially the same as set forth in the previously mentioned patent to Ryon and also Patent 1,522,235 issued to Chevrette.

An important point to be noted in connection with my present invention is that when the thread cutter operates it is raised with respect to the shuttle S. In Fig. 1 I have illustrated the front wall of the shuttle as being provided with the usual groove G. through which the weft WV eX end-` as it passes, from the eye end of the shuttle toward the inner end of the shuttle when the latter is under the magazine. It will be understood that as the cutter is raised it will raise the thread so that the latter has a tendency to move above the groove G.

Then moving upwardly, as described, the thread is likely to be caught between the bight 44, delined between the front curved inner end of the shuttle and the adjacent part of the binder 14. Should the filling be caught at this point it will stick as the depleted bobbin B is expelled and will cause breakage of the filling at some point between the bight and the bobbin. The broken end will subsequent] y be whipped into the shed to form an imperfection in the cloth.

l have found that due to the raising of the cutter the thread is placed under additional tension as soon as it is pinched between A the shuttle and binder and in some instances will break and snap back over the shuttle to some such a position as that shown at 45 in Fig. 3. l/Vhen in this position the released end of the filling may be caught by still other parts of the lay so as to increase the likelihood that it will not be completely withdrawn when the depleted bobbin is expelled from the shuttle.

My invention relates to a means for keeping the filling in suc-hv position relatively to the groove G that at the time of cutting the latter will be free to move through said groove. My invention also aims to provide a device to cause any bending of the lilling, which necessarily occurs upon the lifting of the cutter, to take place around some device which will not entangle the filling as do the shuttle and binder at present. Accordingly, l have provided adevice to engage the filling and hold the same downwardly, and I wish it to be understood that the particular construct-ion shown herein is merely illustrative ol means to accomplish the described results.

l secure to the transferrer arm 22 a wire 50 by means of a screw 51. As shown in Fig. 2 the wire may be bent inwardly from the transferrer arm toward the shuttle and have a rearwardly and downwardly extending` end 52, which will just clear the tip end of the shuttle as the transferrer arm descends. rlhe wire is so placed that it will reach a position to keep the thread substantially in alignment with the groove Gr at the time the cutter has reached that point in its upward travel at which it cuts the thread. Any further descent of the wire end 52 which may occur after cutting can be accommodated by the previously described transverse slot 11 in the lay 10. This latter slot is usually provided for the shuttle feeler and does not have to be added to accommodate the wire which I have added.

TheY screw 51 permits adjustment of the wire relatively to the transferrer arm and if angular adjustments are found insufficient then said wire may be bent so as to engage and hold the feeler in the proper position.

As shown in Fig. 1, I have provided the end 52 with a curved portion 53 to define a shallow notch which will prevent the filling from moving upwardly along the forward face of the wire as the transferrer arm is descending. It will be noted that the wire and cutter which cooperate both derive their operative movements from the same moving part, namely the lay, so that when these parts are adjusted properly they will cooperate correctly, inasmuch as their timing is fixed and their operation dependent upon a single actuator.

By the use of my present inventionthe breaking of the filling due to the raising of the cutter is prevented. As the depleted bobbin is expelled the weft end extending therefrom to the cutter is aligned with the groove G and therefore may be drawn out of he shuttle box without breakage.

F rom the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a very simple addition to a` magazine equipped withthe cutter as set forth in the aforesaid Chevrette patent, the device operating to hold that portion of the filling which extends from the groove G in substantial alignment with the latter so that the expelled bobbin may carry the weft end out of the box with it. It will also be seen that the device which bends the filling is of such a nature as to preclude the possibility of entangling the weft, the wire presenting a smooth surface from which the weft may be easily drawn. It will also be seen that downward movement of the wire which may occur after the cutting of the filling may be accommodated by the usual slot l1.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing fromtthe spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

I. In thread cutting mechanism for a weft replenishing loom, a lay, a cutter to be operated by and moved upwardly relatively to the lay as the latter moves forwardly, and a device independent of the cutter to engage the filling between the cutter and shuttle and depress that portion of the filling which extends from the shuttle into a line substantially parallel to the lay, the device moving downwardly as the cutter is raised.

2. In a thread cutting mechanism for a weft replenishing loom, a lay, a shuttle provided with a longitudinal groove in its frontwall, a thread cutter to be raised during its cutting operation relatively to the lay, a means independent of the cutter to engage the filling extending from the shuttle to the thread cutter to hold that portion of the filling adjacent to the shuttle in substantial alignment with the groove in the front wall of the shuttle, the means moving downwardly as the cutter is raised.

3. In a thread cutting mechanism for a weft replenishing loom, a lay, a shuttle provided with a longitudinal groove in its front wall, a thread cutter to be engaged by a portion of the lay and `raised by the latter to have its operative movement as it is raised, and means independent of the cutter and acting in timed relation with the lay to engage thatportion of the filling ext-ending from the shuttle to the cutter to hold said portion in alignment withthegroove in the front wall ofthe shuttle, the means moving downwardly as the cutter is raised.

4. In a thread cutting mechanism for a weft replenishing loom, a lay, a shuttle provided with a longitudinal groove in its front wall, a thread cutter pivoted above and behind the lay and having provision for engagement with thelay to be raised by the latter as said cutter operates to cut the filing, and means independent of the cutter acting in timed relation to the cutter to engage that portion of the filling extending from the cutter to the shuttle to hold said portion in substantial alignment with said groove, the means moving downwardly as the cutter israised.

5. In a threadv cutting mechanism for a weft replenishing loom, a lay, a shuttle pro vided with' a'longitudinal groove in its front wall, a threadcutter to be raised and given its cutting movement by the lay as the latter moves forwardly, a transferrer arm to be depressed by the lay as the latter moves forwardly, and a device secured to the transferrervarm between the cutter and shuttle to engage that portion of the filling which extends from the shuttle to the cutter and hold said portion in substantial alignment with the groove in the front wall of the shuttle.

6. In a thread cutting mechanism for a weft replenishing loom, a lay, a shuttle provided with a longitudinal groove in its front wall, a thread cutterl to be raised and given its cutting movement by the lay as the latter moves, forwardly, a transferrer arm to be depressed by the lay as the latter `moves forwardly, and a device secured to transferrer arm between the cutter and shuttleto engage that portion of the filling which extends from the shuttle to the cutter and hold said portion in alignment with the groove in the front wall of the shuttle, said cutter and transferrer arm being both actuated by the lay and operating in timed relation with respect to each other.

7. In a thread cutting mechanism for a weft replenishing loom, a lay, a shuttle provided with a longitudinal groove in its front wall, a thread cutter to be raised by the lay and given its cutting movement when being raised by the lay, a transferrer arm to be depressed by the lay, and an element secured to the. transferrer arm and having a notch in the under side thereof to engage that portion of the filling extending between the cutter and the shuttle to hold said portion of filling in alignment with the groove in the front wall of the shuttle. v 8. In a thread cutting mechanism for a weft replenishing loom, a lay, a shuttle provided with a longitudinal groove in its front wall, a thread cutter to be raised by the lay and given its cutting movement when being raised by the lay, a transferrer arm to be depressed by the lay, and an element secured to the transferrer arm and having a notch in the under side thereof to engage that portion of the filling extending between the cutter and the shuttle to hold said portion of filling in alignment with the groove in thefront wall of the shuttle, said notch extending in a direction to resist upward movement of the filling along the front portion of said device.

9. In a thread cutting mechanism for a weft replenishing loom, a lay, a shuttle providedv with a longitudinal groove in its front wall, a thread cutter to engage the lling and during the cutting operation thereof to move the filling in a direction transversely of the groove in the shuttle, and means independent of the cutter to hold a portion of the filling which extends from the shuttle to the cutter in substantial alignment with the groove in the shuttle, the means moving downwardly as the cutter is raised.

l0. In a weft replenishing loom having a shuttle with a supply of weft and a passage for a w'eft end, a thread cutter movable upwardly away from the passage, a transferrer to eject a depleted bobbin and draw the weft end through the passage, and means movable downwardly to engage and lower the weft end of the weft supply into substantial alignment with the passage.

l1. In a weft replenishing loom having a shuttle with a supply of weft and a passage for a weft end, a thread cutter movable upwardly away from the passage, a transferrer to eject a depleted bobbin and draw the weft end through the passage, and normally raised means movable downwardly during the operation of the transfcrrer to engage and lower the weft end of the weft supply into substantial alignment with the passage.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

FRED MARSDEN.. 

